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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26235949">right here, right now (just us)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonprinsessa/pseuds/dragonprinsessa'>dragonprinsessa</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Brave (2012), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, Mericcup Month 2020 (Disney/How to Train Your Dragon), War, runaways - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:54:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,936</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26235949</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonprinsessa/pseuds/dragonprinsessa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>what do you do when you fall for the enemy?</p>
<p>a series of non-linear, connected one-shots depicting Hiccup and Merida's relationship while their people are at war.<br/>written for mericcup month 2020</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Merida (Disney)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. over a bear bottle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>writing these two feels like coming home.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hiccup pulls the hood further over his head when they step into the tavern. Next to him, Merida does the same. Toothless is hidden in the woods right outside the village, ready to get them out of there if someone recognize them. Hopefully, it won’t come to that. They’ve already had to flee from the last four villages they stopped in. It’s getting old.</p>
<p>They sit down at a table in the corner. It doesn’t seem like anyone is paying them much attention. For now, at least.</p>
<p>Merida starts to relax first. She slumps in her chair and yawns. Hiccup understands. They haven’t gotten proper rest in forever. Or food, as evident by the sound Merida’s stomach makes.</p>
<p>They order more than normal for only two people, but the waitress doesn’t bat an eye. Hiccup supposes they are used to hungry travelers in this place. In fact, a lot of the people around seem to be just that. It only makes him more watchful. Travelers probably know more than villagers.</p>
<p>“Oi, paranoid boy!” </p>
<p>When Hiccup looks at Merida, she is giving him a teasing grin, but the worry that shines in her eyes is very notable.</p>
<p>“Ye need to actually relax, you know. If something happens, we’ll deal with it. But nothing is happening right now. So, try to have some fun, alright?”</p>
<p>Hiccup puts his head in his hand with a tired exhale. “I know, you’re right. But after everything-“</p>
<p>“You need to let loose.” Merida says before standing straight up and shouting. “Barkeep! Get us some mead over here!”</p>
<p>The man in the bar grumbles a little but does as requested. Hiccup scans the room, looking for any sign of recognition in the other patrons. When he is certain they are still safe, he glares at Merida.</p>
<p>“We need to be careful,” he says.</p>
<p>“We have been careful. Haven’t made much of a difference.”</p>
<p>She’s right. Carefulness has not been getting them far, and Hiccup works better under pressure anyway. Maybe they should try a new approach to their situation.</p>
<p>The waitress places a large jug of mead and two cups on the table. Merida sends her away with a cheerful; “Than ye very much, lassie!”. Maybe Hiccup should try to adopt some Merida’s attitude. He pours the mead in the cups.</p>
<p>“I bet I can finish mine faster.”</p>
<p>Merida takes the bet.</p>
<p>Merida wins.</p>
<p>Hiccup is perfectly fine with that. Because he had fun, and Merida’s smile is blinding.</p>
<p>“You’re beautiful” he says. Because she is. The most beautiful person he had ever met.</p>
<p>Her eyes soften, and she reaches out to take his hand and squeeze it tightly. “I love you,” she says.</p>
<p>Her words are so genuine and her voice so soft. A tone that he knows is reserved for only him. It used to bring flutters to his stomach, in the beginning. Now it makes him feel warm and safe. Now, it’s the only thing that makes him feel that way.</p>
<p>“I love you too.”</p>
<p>They will be okay.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. in a letter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 1: the way you "say I love you"</p>
<p>merida receives a note</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Merida is frustrated. She’s been trying to figure out a way to end this war, <em>peacefully</em>, for weeks now. So many people, especially her mother, keep saying they want the same thing. But then why is <em>she </em>the only one actually working towards it. She is tired, and angry. Her bedposts have been receiving a lot of abuse from her sword lately. But it’s <em>not</em> her fault no one else is putting down any work. She needs to get her frustration out somehow, and her bedposts have always been good for that.</p>
<p>She looks over the papers she has spread out around her bedroom floor. There are so many letters, from both sides of the war. Orders from superiors, requests for aid, threats to the enemy.</p>
<p>She turns towards the window instead, and gazes towards the spot where she knows <em>he</em> has put up camp for the night. If it were only their two people involved, only DunBroch and Berk, it might have been easier to find common ground and reach peace. But with all of the clans and so many Viking tribes, it’s seemingly impossible.</p>
<p>It’s a good thing Merida never let impossible stop her.</p>
<p>She will find a way. No matter how long it takes. She gets back to work.</p>
<p>But a tap on the window distracts her. She looks up to see a small dragon - a Terrible Terror according to Hiccup - outside her window. Without a second thought, she lets it in.</p>
<p>It has a note tied to one of its legs, and Merida knows it can only be from one person. She opens it to find a short message written down.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Get some rest. I love you.’</em>
</p>
<p>In the corner there is a small drawing of the two of them sleeping next to Toothless. It brings a smile to Merida’s lips.</p>
<p>“Thank you for bringing me this, wee dragon” she says and strokes the Terror’s head.</p>
<p>Before sending it away, she ties a note of her own around its leg; <em>‘Stop spying on me, ye nympty.’</em></p>
<p>Merida looks at the papers on the floor again, and then at the short note from the boy in the woods. She goes to bed. Finding a way to stop the war can wait until tomorrow.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>classes started this week. i haven't been to school in 4 years. i'm so tired.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. from very far away</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 1: the way you "say I love you"</p>
<p>there's a battle.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Merida watches the battle from the tallest tower in the castle. Her father had invited her to fight by his side. To her mother’s delight, she had said no. She feels like she disappointed both of them. Her father, because she wasn’t by his side. And her mother, because her reasons for not fighting were not the right ones.</p>
<p>Neither of her parents can find out the true reason for her staying behind. They can’t find out about her involvement with a boy from the other side. A boy, who currently is nothing more than a small, black blur in the sky.</p>
<p>She knows he is watching her too when she whispers her feelings for no one to hear.</p>
<p>“I love you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hiccup never had a choice. As the son of the Chief and leader of the dragon riders he is expected to fight. He does his best to not do any damage. To only deflect and protect. That includes the king of the scots. He’s tries keep it hidden. He just knows that he has to protect him as well. He’s so important to her.</p>
<p>She is only a speck of red on the top of the castle, but he is acutely aware that she is there. She is watching. And he has to make sure that neither of them loose too much in the battle.</p>
<p>“I love you,” he whispers.</p>
<p>He hopes that it impossibly reaches her, as he tries to bury his guilt when he is forced to sink an enemy ship. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>yeah so this was a bit of angst. writing angst is so fun!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. as we huddle together, the storm raging outside</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 1: the way you "say I love you"</p>
<p>caves are actually romantic</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The plan had been to spend a couple of hours together. Merida would ride out into the forest, as was normal for her. It would raise no suspicion for her to be gone for a while. Hiccup and Toothless would fly out under the guise of “scouting enemy territory”. Something he was already asked to do all the time.</p>
<p>They would meet up, be together for a little bit of time, and then go back when the sun set.</p>
<p>The storm ruined those plans.</p>
<p>Merida can’t say she’s disappointed though. It’s the perfect excuse for them to spend more time together. Her mother can’t possibly expect her to ride home in this weather. And Hiccup definitely can’t fly with lightning striking down every few minutes.</p>
<p>Being curled up in each other’s arms, feeling the warmth from Toothless against their backs and talking about everything between heaven and earth is exactly what she wants to do right now. She has probably never felt more content. Even if she is in a cold, dingy cave.</p>
<p>This will be the first full night they spend together. She wouldn’t have it any other way. It fits them perfectly.</p>
<p>She feels Hiccup bury his face in her hair. It tickles, and she is just about to push him away when he mumbles “I love you,” right next to her ear.</p>
<p>So instead she grabs his hand and presses herself closer into his side.</p>
<p>The storm doesn’t slow down until morning.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. muffled, from the other side of the door</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 1: the way you "say I love you"</p>
<p>things are looking bad</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Merida sneaks through the corridors and past the guards with practiced ease, although with an unusual amount of distress. As soon as she reaches the dungeon, she throws herself against the door to the cell where she knows he’s being held.</p>
<p>She doesn’t understand how he could be stupid enough to get caught. He is the smartest person she knows! He has a bloody dragon on his side! And yet, somehow, he got caught right outside the castle wall by some of Lord Dingwall’s men.</p>
<p>“Hiccup,” she says quietly. They’ll have to be careful so that no one hears them talking.</p>
<p>“Merida!”</p>
<p>She hears him scamper to the door on the other side, the sound of chains follows him. She has to swallow a sob. It’s a good thing she can’t actually see him, or else she’d probably be weeping at this point. Embarrassing as that is.</p>
<p>“What were you thinking, you idiot? You know there have been extra guards and patrols lately.”</p>
<p>He knows because she’s told him. He had mentioned maybe sneaking into the castle, see her in her natural element. So, she told him not to do that. Her father and the Lords have been getting more and more paranoid the more time has passed. Besides, being out in the woods with him <em>is</em> her natural element.</p>
<p>“I know. I’m sorry,” he sounds tired. “I had orders to scout closer to the castle. I told them it was a bad idea, but of course no one listened.”</p>
<p>Merida is tired too. Of their families. Their people. This war. She doesn’t want any part of it anymore.</p>
<p>She presses her hands and forehead against the door.</p>
<p>“I will to get you out of this dungeon, I swear,” she takes a deep breath. “And then we’ll leave. You were right. We should never have stayed for all of this.”</p>
<p>For a moment, it is entirely quiet.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Hiccup finally says, and it sounds as if he’s as close to the door as she is. “If you’re sure.”</p>
<p>“I am. We have to get out of here,” she knows that now.</p>
<p>“Toothless is hiding in the cave. Get him first, we’re going to need him when we leave.”</p>
<p>Merida nods. At least they have a way to leave fast.</p>
<p>“I’ll be back soon,” she says, and starts to leave, but is stopped when Hiccup continues to talk.</p>
<p>“Merida,” he says and his voice is so desperate. She wishes she could see him, that she could hold him. “I love you.”</p>
<p>Merida’s heart clenches. “I love you too.”</p>
<p>For a few seconds, they stay still, soaking in the words. Then, Hiccup speaks, and Merida can almost hear him shake the somberness off.</p>
<p>“Good luck, princess,” he tells her and she smiles.</p>
<p>She can see the teasing grin in front so clearly. He only ever calls her princess to get a rise out of her.</p>
<p>“See you soon, dragon boy,” she says back, and smiles even wider when she hears him chuckle.</p>
<p>Then, she turns and sneak back out of the dungeon. She’s going to go get Toothless, and make good on her word.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>this is one of my favorite chapters</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. before we jump</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 1: the way you "say I love you"</p>
<p>it's time to leave</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Toothless waits for them at the cliffside and when they arrive, Hiccup is on his back in a matter of seconds. He holds his hand out to Merida, to help her up. She hesitates.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to leave,” Hiccup says, and lowers his hand slightly. “You can still go back.”</p>
<p>He’s right. If she turns around now. If she goes back to the castle and her family, everything would go back to normal. She could tell them that the dangerous Viking from the dungeon kidnapped her, but that she managed to break free in the last minute. Her mother would hug her and her father would hunt the Vikings with even more passion and determination than before.</p>
<p>She can still go back.</p>
<p>But she won’t.</p>
<p>She takes Hiccup’s hand, and climb up to sit behind him. Her arms hold on tightly around his waist. She is ready.</p>
<p>“Let’s go.”</p>
<p>Hiccup still hasn’t let go of her hand. He squeezes it. She knows he understands.</p>
<p>Behind them, they can hear the sound of battle-cries. The men are no doubt being led by her father. He is coming to bring his little girl back. Merida feels guilty.</p>
<p>“Are you sure?” Hiccup asks, and Merida feels a twinge of irritation.</p>
<p>“Didn’t I just say ‘let’s go’? We need to get moving!”</p>
<p>Hiccup nods. “Okay. Let’s go.”</p>
<p>He turns back to look at her, and she is suddenly filled with joy by the fact that he’s not stuck behind that door anymore and she can see his face. She can see his beautiful eyes.</p>
<p>“I love you,” he says.</p>
<p>Merida holds him even tighter. “I love you too.”</p>
<p>As he and Toothless get ready to take off, Merida looks back. She takes one last look at her home.</p>
<p>And then they shoot off the cliff.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. in awe, the first time you realized it</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 1: the way you "say I love you"</p>
<p>hiccup is so in love</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ever since he first met her, he keeps coming back. It has only been a couple of weeks since they came across each other that first time in the glade. When she had threatened him with her bow and he had done his best to deescalate the situation. It must have worked, since the day ended with her kissing him.</p>
<p>What followed was a friendship with one of the most captivating people he’s ever met.</p>
<p>The princess of DunBroch is not what he could have ever expected. She is courageous, brash, passionate, funny and so incredibly beautiful. And it took her all of two minutes to win over Toothless’ affection. That is something Hiccup still finds impressive.</p>
<p>He watches as she plays with Toothless in the creek. She is a natural at catching fish, which she then throws in the air for Toothless. Her laughter fills the forest around them. It’s contagious, and soon Hiccup finds himself laughing along with her. She seems delighted by that.</p>
<p>“Come on, dragon boy,” she says. “Shouldn’t ye be the one to feed your dragon?”</p>
<p>Hiccup finds himself unable to say no. “Sure. Can’t have the Princess do the dirty work.”</p>
<p>She splashes water in his face.</p>
<p>He is well aware that she isn’t one for titles. That’s why when she started calling him dragon boy, he retorted back with her official one. He gets the feeling she secretly likes it when it comes from him.</p>
<p>“Just catch some fish.”</p>
<p>“As you wish, princess.”</p>
<p>She pushes him, and he falls almost full body into the water. Toothless laughs at him.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah, she’s hilarious, right bud,” Hiccup drawls with his usual sarcastic tone.</p>
<p>“Aye, that I am.”</p>
<p>Toothless coos in agreement. Hiccup let’s out a gasp of mock betrayal.</p>
<p>“I can’t believe you stole my best friend.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t steal him. He chose me because I’m better.”</p>
<p>She smiles widely as she teases him. Hiccup grins back.</p>
<p>“You’ll pay for this, princess!” he yells while splashing water at her.</p>
<p>She splashes back, and soon they’re in a full-on battle trying to force each other down in the water. In the end, Hiccup falls on his back. But at least he manages to drag her down with him. She lands on his chest. He stares at her.</p>
<p>Her laughter once again fills the forest, but instead of joining him, he just keeps watching her. She’s got mud all over her flushed cheeks, and her curls hang in tangled knots around her face. She snorts as she laughs. She is the most beautiful person Hiccup has ever seen.</p>
<p>“You alright there, dragon boy?” she asks, and she looks him in the eyes.</p>
<p>They’re blinding.</p>
<p>“I love you.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t realize what he blurted out until he notices her freezing. And then he feels so stupid.</p>
<p>“Uh… I mean… Crap. Okay. I’m sorry. I, uh- I shouldn’t have just said that. Like that. I meant-“</p>
<p>“I love you too.”</p>
<p>Now, it’s him who freezes. She says it with a tone of voice that’s so much softer, so much more genuine, than anything he’s heard her say before. It brings a flutter to his stomach, and he almost feels as if he could fly. Without Toothless.</p>
<p>He smiles so wide his cheeks hurt, and she is mirroring him by doing the same. Gently, he cups her face, pulls her down towards him, and kisses her.</p>
<p>He doesn’t ever want to stop.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>the last of the i love you prompts and it's a whole bunch of fluff! now let's move on to the kisses.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. height difference kisses where one person has to bend down and the other is on their tippy toes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 2: the way you kiss me</p>
<p>toothless knows what's up.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Come on! Get up here already!”</p>
<p>Hiccup pouts. “I can’t. I’ve got a prosthetic leg that kind of makes it hard.”</p>
<p>Merida sticks her tongue out towards him before climbing further up the tree. She’s climbing with such speed that soon she’ll reach the top. Hiccup couldn’t even make it to the first branch. He’d tried, but it was hard to find footing with his metal leg.</p>
<p>“The view from up here is amazing!” Merida calls down to him.</p>
<p>Hiccup snorts. “Yeah, I know. I fly around on a dragon, remember?”</p>
<p>Merida once again sticks her tongue out.</p>
<p>In all honesty, Hiccup is quite content just staying on the ground, watching her. If he wanted to, he could just get Toothless to help him up. But he enjoys staying on sidelines, watching Merida as she shows off. He never though he could be so enamored by one person.</p>
<p>Toothless grumbles next to him, and Hiccup puts an arm over his neck, leaning slightly on his friend.</p>
<p>“I know, bud,” he says. “She’s pretty impressive.”</p>
<p>Toothless stares at him, and it’s pretty obvious what the look is supposed to mean.</p>
<p>“What?” Hiccup asks and pulls away, crossing his arms over his chest. Toothless coos at him. “I don’t know what you’re trying to say. Merida is really cool, yeah, and she’s a good friend.”</p>
<p>A good friend that he had kissed a few times but that was neither here nor there.</p>
<p>The drop of Toothless’ head gives him a perfect “oh really?” expression.</p>
<p>“You,” Hiccup points a finger in his face. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”</p>
<p>Toothless grumbles again and walks away, going to lie down somewhere, presumably. Hiccup watches him with a huff.</p>
<p>“What is he talking about?”</p>
<p>Hiccup jumps at the sudden voice behind him. He hadn’t noticed Merida climbing down. She’s sitting on the lowest branch, watching him with mischief in her eyes.</p>
<p>“Uh… nothing,” Hiccup starts to swing his arms around him awkwardly. He doesn’t want her to know what Toothless was implying. “You know how he is. Just, making statements and never factchecking.”</p>
<p>“Uh-huh.”</p>
<p>He does notice Merida sharing a look with Toothless, but he’s too slow to figure out what the look could mean. It is; however, very impressive how good Merida has become at communicating with the dragon in such short amount of time.</p>
<p>“Give me your hands,” Merida says, confusing Hiccup with her demand from out of nowhere. She huffs. “Just give them to me. I’m going to help pull you up.”</p>
<p>Hiccup reaches up and puts his hands in hers, feeling a slight tingling in his fingers as he does so. She starts to hoist him up. Before his feet (foot) are even off the ground though, she bends down.</p>
<p>Hiccup doesn’t have time to register before she presses her lips against his. He leans into it, instinctively pulling himself further up towards her in the process. She smiles against his lips, and pulls back again. The disappointment he feels is immediate.</p>
<p>“You really need to get up here.”</p>
<p>Her voice is huskier, more teasing. When she starts to pull him up again, he calls for Toothless to help. He is no longer content just staying on the ground.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i was at the dentist today. i really don't like going to the dentist.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. when one stops the kiss to whisper “I’m sorry, are you sure you-” and they answer by kissing them more</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 2: the way you kiss me</p>
<p>merida is homesick.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Merida is curled up by the wall of the cave. She’s keeping a cloak tight around her, like a blanket. It’s dark, and cold, and wet. It goes perfectly with her mood.</p>
<p>In her head she’s back in DunBroch. She’s just had dinner with her family. Her dad tells stories from the battlefield. Her brothers throw sweet rolls at her to test if she can catch them. Her mother kisses her head and softly wishes her a good night.</p>
<p>It would have been nice, if it was real.</p>
<p>Instead she’s hiding in a cave, just like the past few nights. Hiccup and Toothless are out collecting more firewood. They offered to have Toothless stay with her, but she declined. She told them she needed a moment to herself. Now, she kind of regrets it. It’s when she’s alone that the misses home the most.</p>
<p>It doesn’t take long for Hiccup and Toothless to return. They are uncharacteristically quiet, probably because of her. Hiccup adds a few small branches to the waning fire, and then goes to sit next to her. Toothless lies down on the other side, as if he wants to give them some privacy.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Hiccup takes her hand, and kisses her cheek.</p>
<p>Merida smiles. It’s amazing how just being close to him makes her so much happier.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to go through it alone. I’m here for you.”</p>
<p>It’s as if the sun shines in her chest when he says that. The love he gives her is a love she never thought she would receive. And the way she loves him, is something she never thought she would feel.</p>
<p>She practically jumps him, kissing him in a way that she hopes translates into all the feelings she has for him. He kisses her back just as fiercely. Merida loves him so much.</p>
<p>She pulls back, just for a second, to say; “I’m here for you too.” And then continues kissing him with all her might.</p>
<p>It seems like he catches the double meaning though, because this time, he pulls back.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” his eyes shine with guilt. Merida doesn’t understand why. She’s not the only one who left her family, life, everything, behind for this. “Are you sure you-“</p>
<p>She doesn’t let him finish. She puts her hands on either side of his face, and forcefully pulls him back to her. This time, her kiss is more aggressive. She can’t let him doubt. He melts right into her, following her lead with every movement. Once she is sure he got the message, she pulls away.</p>
<p>“I’m sure,” she says, her hands still cupping his face. “I chose you, like you chose me. Everything from before, that doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is us, right here, and right now. Just you and me,” from across the cave, Toothless makes a grumbling sound. Merida giggles. “And Toothless, of course.”</p>
<p>A soft smile has found its way onto Hiccup’s lips, and… is he about to cry?</p>
<p>He doesn’t cry, even though he may be close to it. Instead he takes Merida’s hands, moves them from his face and hold them against his heart.</p>
<p>“Merida Dunbroch, you’re amazing. You know that, right?”</p>
<p>“I’m aware.”</p>
<p>He snorts a laugh, and envelops her in his arms. She hopes he never let’s go.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. lazy morning kisses before they’ve even opened their eyes, still mumbling half-incoherently, not wanting to wake up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 2: the way you kiss me</p>
<p>domesticity.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He wakes up to her complaining about how she doesn’t want to wake up. Her hair is spread all across his face. He doesn’t really care; he’s used to it by now.</p>
<p>She’s muttering under her breath, something else that he’s used to. It’s endearing, he thinks. He doesn’t hear all of what she says, but manage to catch; “bloody mornings” followed by “have to get up every bloody day.”</p>
<p>His chest shakes in silent laughter, and he stretches an arm out to feel where she is. It hovers in the air for a second or two, before it finds her waist. She mutters again when his hand lands on her, but doesn’t say anything when he pulls her close.</p>
<p>“Morning,” he plants a kiss somewhere on her face, he isn’t sure where since he has yet to open his eyes.</p>
<p>She groans in response.</p>
<p>He kisses her again, and this time right on the eyelid. She makes a sound of protest. Apparently, she doesn’t enjoy getting his morning slobber all over her eye.</p>
<p>Instead of letting him make another attempt, she cups his chin and directs him down towards her. His lips finally meet hers. They’re chapped, and her morning breath is worse than any Viking back on Berk. He still enjoys it.</p>
<p>Until she pulls away.</p>
<p>“Mer,” he complains, and tighten his grip on her waist.</p>
<p>“Mm?” is her response, along with a peck on the corner of his mouth.</p>
<p>“Don’ get up,” he gives her a peck on her upper lip.</p>
<p>“Have to.”</p>
<p>The sad reality of mornings.</p>
<p>She gives him another short kiss on his mouth, and then slips out of his grip. She’d always had more self-discipline than him.</p>
<p>The bed is lonely and cold without her presence. There is no longer a reason to asleep. So, he opens his eyes, just as she finishes lacing up her dress.</p>
<p>“You should take Toothless out for a morning flight. He sounds restless,” she says.</p>
<p>From outside the window, he can hear whines and rumbles. Toothless sure is restless. And overdramatic, as usual.</p>
<p>“I will,” he tells her. “After I eat breakfast… and take a bath… I might also finish that design I was working on!”</p>
<p>Merida snorts. “Don’t torture the poor dragon.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be late for work,” Hiccup retorts.</p>
<p>She groans loudly, but starts to leave.</p>
<p>“Have fun!” he tells her as she opens the door.</p>
<p>“I won’t!” she calls back when she closes it after her.</p>
<p>Hiccup chuckles as he falls back into the pillows.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>the exact wordcount of this chapter is 420 and I automatically thought "blaze it" and laughed so I'm now a confirmed teenage boy.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. breaking the kiss to say something, staying so close that you’re murmuring into each other’s mouths</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 2: the way you kiss me</p>
<p>can hiccup be responsible?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Their lips move with each other in a natural flow. Each time either of them changes something, or does something new, the other follow without hesitation. Hiccup didn’t know it could be like this.</p>
<p>Kissing Merida is very different from the few kisses he shared with Astrid when they were younger, before they figured out they worked better platonically. Astrid’s kisses always caught him by surprise, not to say Merida’s didn’t, but they were surprising in very different ways. With Astrid, though the action itself may have been nice, it was always slightly uncomfortable. With Merida, it’s nothing like that. Merida makes him melt, makes heart beat faster and make him feel braver than ever before, all at the same time.</p>
<p>Her arms are snaked around him. He can feel one of her hands playing with the hair in the nape of his neck. It sends tingles down is spine. The good kind of tingles, of course.</p>
<p>He wishes they could stay forever, here in the woods. Just the two of them. And Toothless, who’s around somewhere.</p>
<p>He wishes they could stay here forever, but they can’t. His father and the other Chiefs will be expecting him back soon. And, from what Merida’s told him, her mother is probably organizing a search party already.</p>
<p>“Mer,” he says, and tries to pull back.</p>
<p>Merida won’t let him; she just follows while keeping her lips close to his.</p>
<p>“Merida,” he tries again. She still refuses to let him out of the kiss. How can he blame her? “We really need to go,” he tries to say, but his lips never move from hers, so who knows if she understood it.</p>
<p>“I don’t want to.”</p>
<p>Hiccup huffs a laugh and notices how her face crinkles up when the warm air meets it. He definitely wouldn’t mind not going. “Come on, Mer,” he says, because sometimes he can be responsible, no matter what Gobber says.</p>
<p>“Let’s just stay forever,” Merida murmurs, and goes on to kiss him more fiercely.</p>
<p>It makes Hiccup weak in the knees when she does that. He’ll probably have to take an extra lap around the forest with Toothless before returning to the basecamp, just so that no one notices something off about him.</p>
<p>“Here in the woods?” he manages to get out, with at least some of his usual sarcasm intact.</p>
<p>“Aye,” Merida smiles, and feeling it against his lips makes him smile as well. “We could be outlaws. On the run from the kingdom and never apart.”</p>
<p>That doesn’t sound too bad. Actually, it sounds pretty good. Maybe he can’t be responsible after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. staring at the other’s lips, trying not to kiss them, before giving in</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 2: the way you kiss me</p>
<p>first kiss.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The strange Viking keeps going on about dragons. He’s been talking about them practically since the second she came upon him. Well, since after she stopped threatening his life, at least.</p>
<p>First, he just talked about the one who was accompanying him. Toothless. It’s a terrible name. But she can’t deny that it suits the, frankly, adorable beast. What she doesn’t thinks suits him however, is the title <em>’offspring of lightning and death itself’</em>. He’s too cute for that.</p>
<p>But the Viking didn’t stop there. No, he kept going on and on. About countless kinds of dragons out there. Gronckles, Stormcutters, Terrible Terrors, Scouldrons, Deadly Nadders. Before today, Merida had never even seen one kind before. She’s finding it a little hard to believe that there are so many out there. But the Viking speaks of them witch such determination and passion, it must be true.</p>
<p>It is quite interesting to listen to, and Merida has to admit that she wants to know more. Which is why it is extra frustrating that she can’t seem to focus on anything he’s saying. She curses her eyes when they keep coming back to the Vikings lips, and her brain when it tells her to move a few inches forward and kiss him senseless.</p>
<p>She can’t do that!</p>
<p>It’s already bad enough that she’s talking to him, without any hostility when they are enemies. She can’t go any further than that! Not with this… strange Viking.</p>
<p>He truly is a strange Viking. Nothing like the stories she’s heard. Her father often talks about when he fought in the war against them, which ended with him becoming king. In his tales he would describe huge, beastly men, with the strength of a bear and the resilience to keep fighting for days on end without rest. It made it even more impressive that her father and the other lords had defeated them.</p>
<p>But Merida looks at this Viking – and he is clearly a Viking – and sees none of that. Well, perhaps resilience. Something about the young man makes her believe that he doesn’t easily give up. But other than that, nothing.</p>
<p>He’s tall and lanky, he seems to enjoy knowledge more than weapons, he’s friendly, but slightly awkward. He’s just a normal person. A normal person whom, Merida has to admit, has captured her interest like no other.</p>
<p>Merida doubts this is what her mother had in mind when they agreed on the whole ‘<em>finding love in her own time</em>’ thing.</p>
<p>Not that she would go declare herself in love, she has only known the guy for less than a day. But she is intrigued, and his lips look so soft and inviting. And, most importantly, Merida never was one to follow rules anyway.</p>
<p>She lurches forward, and cuts him off in the middle of a sentence. It’s even better than she thought it would be.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. a hoarse whisper “kiss me”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 2: the way you kiss me</p>
<p>hiccup has enver heard of sleep shedules.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s almost impossible to move around in the cottage. The floor is covered with designs and sketches that Hiccup had made the night before. He’s currently passed out in bed. Merida doesn’t know exactly when he finally decided to sleep, but she has a feeling it was around the time the sun rose.</p>
<p>She looks at the parchments and is filled with exasperated fondness. She had told him he should go to sleep. “He’s impossible, isn’t he?” she says to Toothless, who obviously agrees with her.</p>
<p>She spends the morning outside. The forest around their new home is full of berry bushes, fruit trees and other useful flora. It’s just one of the reasons they deemed this cottage perfect for them.</p>
<p>She picks as much as she can and with Toothless’ help carry it back to the cottage. Then the two of them go on a flight together, doing as many loops, spins and other tricks as they can. By the time the return Hiccup still hasn’t woken up.</p>
<p>The sun is on its highest in the sky when he finally emerges from the bedroom. Merida has managed to find a small spot on floor to sit, and is doing her best to mend their many ripped articles of clothing. When she sees him, she can’t help but laugh at the bags under his eyes and his disheveled hair.</p>
<p>“Ye should haven listened to me when I told you to sleep,” she tells him.</p>
<p>Hiccup rolls his eyes and makes his way towards her, plopping down on the floor beside her.</p>
<p>“Maybe I should hide your away your pens,” Merida teases. “That way you can’t stay up all night drawing.”       </p>
<p>Hiccup groans and throws his head back to lean it against the wall, all Merida can do is snicker. It’s his own fault that he’s so miserable this morning, after all.</p>
<p>Merida continues to work on the tunic in her hands, but stops after only a few seconds.</p>
<p>“Stop staring at me,” she shoves Hiccup lightly and he chuckles. The first positive sound he’s made since he woke.</p>
<p>He takes her hand and pulls it to him. “Kiss me,” he whispers, his voice still hoarse from sleep.</p>
<p>Merida happily complies.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. kisses meant to distract the other person from whatever they were intently doing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 2: the way you kiss me</p>
<p>domestic bliss.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cooking is hard, Merida has realized. She had never had to do it back in DunBroch. She was the Princess, she didn’t have to worry about such trivial things as making food. But here, now, living in a small cottage by a village where no one knows she has ever been something other than a loudmouthed young maiden living with her boyfriend, trivial things such as making food is suddenly something she has to think about.</p>
<p>At this point they’ve already lived in the cottage for several months. It’s hard to believe at times. There are still mornings where she wakes up thinking she’s in the DunBroch castle. Those days are the hardest.</p>
<p>But despite that, they’ve managed to create a life for themselves here. They’ve relished in their anonymity, and thrived together. For the first time, Merida knows what it’s like to truly feel free. She doesn’t have to worry about all her Princess duties anymore, she can just do what she wants.</p>
<p>Cooking isn’t what she wants.</p>
<p>Or at least it hasn’t been until now.</p>
<p>Neither she nor Hiccup are the best cooks. They’ve wasted a lot of money eating at the tavern. But at least Hiccup has tried a few times, and it didn’t turn out too horrible. So, Merida decided it’s her turn.</p>
<p>She’s trying to replicate something she’s eaten a thousand times back home. She thought it would be easy, since she knows what’s in it and what it’s supposed to look like. It’s not easy.</p>
<p>It’s been hours since she first started and she still hasn’t gotten it right. Rationally she knows she should have given up ages ago, but she’s stubborn and she <em>will</em> make this food and it <em>will</em> taste good.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to do this,” Hiccup says.</p>
<p>He’s standing right next to her; has been the entire time she’s been cooking. About every 10 minutes he’s offered help, but she’s refused every time.</p>
<p>“Yes, I do,” she says. “I’m making this for you and it will be perfect.”</p>
<p>It <em>will</em>.</p>
<p>“It doesn’t have to be,” he cowers away a little when she glares at him. “I’m just saying! I grew up with my dad’s cooking, I can handle anything, trust me.”</p>
<p>“That’s just even more reason to make this perfect!”</p>
<p>Hiccup sighs. Merida ignores it.</p>
<p>“You’re the most stubborn person I know, you know that right?”</p>
<p>She huffs. She’s hardly more stubborn than him.</p>
<p>Then she feels his lips against her cheek, accompanied by that lovely, tingly feeling she gets every time he touches her.</p>
<p>“Stop it!” she screeches and tries to push him away. “You’re distracting me!”</p>
<p>“Maybe that’s the point.”</p>
<p>He holds onto her as she does her best to get away. The screeching and giggling continue as he starts to pepper more kisses on her face, until she finally gives up and kisses him back.</p>
<p>The food is left forgotten and unsalvageable. Oh well, there’s always the tavern.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. berk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 3: locations</p>
<p>leaving berk.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hiccup stands between Toothless and his father, watching the docks as the warriors load up and board the ships.</p>
<p>“I don’t like this,” he says, and his father sighs deeply.</p>
<p>“I know, Hiccup.”</p>
<p>“Why would we even agree to this? Just- just sailing away a-and attack people? For no reason? Dad, that’s not what Berkians do!”</p>
<p>Stoick gazes out over the ships with a somber expression.</p>
<p>“It’s more complicated than that, son,” he says.</p>
<p>Hiccup groans. He doubts that it’s actually all that complicated.</p>
<p>“Some Viking tribes has it as tradition to raid and pillage other lands. If we hadn’t been so occupied with fighting dragons, we might have been one of those tribes,” Stoick starts to explain. “And even though it’s not something I agree with, those tribes are our close allies. So, when they ask for our help, we must give it. It’s just how it works.”</p>
<p>Hiccup scoffs. Just because it’s how it works doesn’t mean it’s right. He knows that, and so should his father. But he knows that no matter what he says, his father won’t listen. He’s too wrapped up in being Chief.</p>
<p>“But why so many people?” he questions instead. “They already have an entire armada! Why would they need all the other tribes too?”</p>
<p>“Because this is about much more than a simple raid, Hiccup. It’s about revenge.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t like the sound of that.</p>
<p>“Many years ago, they sailed to raid this land, but they fought back like no other had before. Our allies were defeated, they suffered a terrible loss. Now that they have rebuilt, they are returning, but they’re not taking any chances. So, they asked for our aid, which we will give. That includes you and your riders, Hiccup.”</p>
<p>With that final command, Chief Stoick walks away. Hiccup watches him as he boards the head ship, ready to set sail at any minute.</p>
<p>“So, what are we gonna do?”</p>
<p>He’s not surprised that Astrid and the rest of his friends show up just as his dad leaves. He has a feeling they were nearby, listening to the entire conversation.</p>
<p>“We’re going,” he says. “But we’re <em>not</em> attacking anyone.”</p>
<p>The riders all nod in agreement and take a seat on their dragons. A few minutes later, they’re off.</p>
<p>The reason for the trip might be horrible, but Hiccup would lie if he said he isn’t excited. He wonders what, and who, he’s going to see in the new land. In DunBroch.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>and now i have to write an essay.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. dunbroch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 3: locations</p>
<p>merida spots something in the sky.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>”Merida! Where are you going?”</p>
<p>As soon as she hears her mother’s voice, she groans. Turning around she sees Queen Elinor in all of her glory, looking just as annoyed as Merida feels.</p>
<p>“I’m just taking Angus out for a ride, mum.”</p>
<p>Before their conversation can continue, they are pushed aside by a large group of MacGuffin soldiers passing by. They seem to pay no mind that it is the Queen and Princess they are shoving out of their way rather harshly. Merida would love nothing more than to send them to the stocks and throw some rotten eggs at them.</p>
<p>“We should never have let them inside the castle,” Elinor mutters, and Merida is happy she and her mother share that opinion, at least.</p>
<p>“<em>That</em>,” Merida points at the group of men. “Is the reason I need to get out. I can’t take it anymore!”</p>
<p>For a moment, Elinor is quiet. Her eyes wander between Merida and the soldiers, who are loudly yapping a few meters away.</p>
<p>“Alright,” she finally decided and a grin forms on Merida’s face. “But be careful. Some Vikings might have already reached the shore.”</p>
<p>“Aye, I will! Thanks, mum!”</p>
<p>Merida gives her mother a quick kiss on the cheek before bounding off towards the stable. In record time she and Angus are out the gates and galloping freely through the forest. Laughter bubbles in her chest as she feels the wind in her hair. She hasn’t been able to do this since the Lords arrived over a week ago.</p>
<p>Then a shadow passes over her, and she stops laughing.</p>
<p>Flying right above her head is a large, black-</p>
<p>“A dragon,” Merida realizes.</p>
<p>It the only thing it can be. She has never seen one before, she thought she never would. People back at the castle usually say they’re just a myth. But that thing is most definitely a dragon.</p>
<p>What confuses her though, is the figure sitting on top of it. It looks like person, but it can’t be, right? No person could tame dragons. But… if one has, she is sure that they must be an awful and dangerous person.</p>
<p>She keeps watching the dragon as it circles above the forest a few times, and then it dives down, not too far away from where she is.</p>
<p>There’s only one thing to do.</p>
<p>She grips her bow tightly with one hand, and fishes up an arrow with the other.</p>
<p>“Come on, Angus. Let’s go catch a dragon.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. stonehenge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 3: locations</p>
<p>magic or not?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>From the shade of one of the huge stones, Hiccup watches Merida. She’s walking around the monument, touching the stones and inspecting them.</p>
<p>“I wonder if they’re magic,” she says. “Like the standing stones back home.”</p>
<p>Hiccup does his best to conceal his snort. It’s not that he doesn’t believe in magic, because he does. He always has, to some degree. And while Merida’s story about her mother, wisps, a witch and bears should be unbelievable, he has no doubts that it happened. From the way Merida speaks of it, it obviously did. But that doesn’t mean that he believes in all the same things she does.</p>
<p>“You can’t actually be sure that the stones are magic,” he says, and rolls his eyes when Merida glares at him. “C’mon Mer, the stones never actually did anything, right? It was all the wisps and the witch. The stones were just… there.”</p>
<p>“I cannea believe you’re starting this again,” Merida groans. “For the ten-thousandth time; the stones are magic!”</p>
<p>“But how can you be sure they are?”</p>
<p>“How can you be sure they’re <em>not</em>?”</p>
<p>They stare at each other. Merida has her arms crossed over her chest with a clear look of annoyance on her face. Hiccup feels exasperated.</p>
<p>They’ve had this debate so many times before. But since neither of them have any way to prove their point, and both are too stubborn admit the other might be right, they just keep ending up in this position.</p>
<p>“Ye know,” Merida breaks the silence. “If we just stick around for a few days, I’m sure something magical will happen.”</p>
<p>“Or, nothing happens at all.”</p>
<p>It’s a bet. One that both of them would love to take. But they won’t. They can’t stay in one place for too long. They’re still too close.  </p>
<p>They stay for another hour, and then they’re off again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. loch ness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 3: locations</p>
<p>hiccup talks about dragons. again.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It has been less than a day since they left DunBroch, and Merida is terrified. For the first time she’s away from her home, her family and everything familiar. She hadn’t thought it would affect her this much. It makes her all the more grateful for Hiccup. He provides a welcome distraction.</p>
<p>A few weeks ago, Merida had told him about the sea monster said to reside in Loch Ness. He hadn’t said much about it then, but seeing as they’re currently flying above the loch, he has remembered. And he won’t shut up about it.</p>
<p>“It <em>has </em>to be dragons!” he says once again. Merida can’t count how many times she’s heard that for the past 20 minutes. “Maybe Scouldrons. They’re usually not found in lakes, but it’s not impossible. Or ma-maybe it’s a whole new dragon species!”</p>
<p>Merida can’t see his eyes, since she’s seated behind him, but she can imagine how they’re shining in excitement at that thought.</p>
<p>“We’re definitely coming back here.”</p>
<p>A smile finds its way onto Merida’s face for the first time since they left DunBroch. It’s not just a promise of coming back to discover dragons, it’s a promise to return to her home. They won’t stay away forever.</p>
<p>She leans forward and presses a quick kiss to Hiccup’s cheek, silently thanking him. He turns his head to look at her, and she sees that same excitement she was imagining. But she also sees warmth, and love. She hopes he sees the same thing from her.</p>
<p>They smile at each other as they pass the edge of Loch Ness, and continue on.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. iceland</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 3: locations</p>
<p>x marks the home?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This would probably be pretty good for a saddle,” Hiccup murmurs as he inspects the leather in his hands. “Not as sturdy as I’d like, but it’ll work.”</p>
<p>“Good enough fer me,” Merida responds absentmindedly.</p>
<p>She’s browsing the jewelry at the blacksmiths stall while Hiccup tries to find materials to work with. Merida isn’t exactly a jewelry person, but she finds the different pendants in the stall fascinating. They’re all different Viking symbols. She has no idea what any of them mean, but they’re beautiful. She’s thinking of getting one of them. Maybe the one with the X symbol.</p>
<p>“We’re gonna need leather strips too. A lot of them.”</p>
<p>The blacksmith doesn’t seem too happy with Hiccup. Probably because Hiccup is obviously buying things to make something himself, instead of commissioning it. Not so strange, since the blacksmith can’t charge as much for raw materials.</p>
<p>Hiccup had decided on a whim the night before that he would make a new saddle for Toothless, so that both him and Merida can fit more comfortably. She appreciates it, but thinks it’s a bit unmercenary. Though she has a feeling this is more about Hiccup wanting to make something in general, since he hasn’t been able to since before he left Berk. And that was quite long ago now. It feels like a lifetime ago since they left DunBroch, she can’t imagine what it’s like for him.</p>
<p>At least Iceland is nice.</p>
<p>They’ve been here for the past three weeks. It’s the longest they’ve been in one place since being on the run. It’s been good. Cold, but good. And being around so many Vikings when visiting the villages has been a lot of fun. Merida has absolutely fallen in love with their culture.</p>
<p>“Okay, I think that’s everything,” Hiccup says as he places the last leather strip in the pile. “Did you want anything Mer?”</p>
<p>“Maybe this one,” she points to the pendant with the X and Hiccup comes closer to look at it.</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s Gifu, the rune for gifts,” he says, before going uncharacteristically still. “It’s also a protection symbol, for homes.”</p>
<p>Merida frowns. Home. She misses having a home.</p>
<p>She picks up the pendant, and strokes the symbol with her thumb. Iceland isn’t ideal, but maybe it’s good enough.</p>
<p>“What if we stay here?” she blurts out.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>Hiccups eyes are wide, and his mouth is hanging open. It looks rather funny.</p>
<p>“We <em>could</em> stay,” she continues. “We haven’t been recognized in <em>three weeks</em>. It feels safe.”</p>
<p>“Yeah… Yeah, it does!”</p>
<p>They smile widely together, almost laughing of giddiness. They could have a home again.</p>
<p>And then…</p>
<p>“Is that Stoick the Vast’s son?!” “The Berkian?” “That’s the princess he kidnapped!” “Where’s his dragon?” “They will fetch one hefty price!”</p>
<p>The shouts blend together, and in seconds they have Vikings running at them from all directions.</p>
<p>“Time to go!”</p>
<p>Merida drops the pendant and starts running. Hiccup picks up his pile of leather and manages to throw a few coins in the blacksmiths general direction before he follows.</p>
<p>They just barely make it back to Toothless and into the air before the mass of Vikings catch up to them.</p>
<p>Once they’re far enough away to relax again, Merida looks back at the landmass behind them. So much for a new home.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Hiccup says.</p>
<p>He turns around completely, so that he faces Merida, and holds out his hand. In it, lies the pendant.</p>
<p>“We <em>will</em> find a place where we can stay. I promise.”</p>
<p>His eyes are so earnest, his voice so genuine. Merida loves him.</p>
<p>She places her hand on top of the pendant, so that she’s holding onto both it and his hand, and she leans forward to kiss him.</p>
<p>“I know.”</p>
<p>He smiles.</p>
<p>It doesn’t fix everything, but it helps.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i think this is the longest chapter yet.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. greenland</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 3: locations</p>
<p>pillowfight!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m so tired of travelling.”</p>
<p>Hiccup chuckles a little at Merida’s complaints. He’s grown quite used to them at this point. She complains a lot. Most of the time it’s not serious, she just seems to like complaining.  </p>
<p>“I thought you liked travelling,” he says as he lays out his bedroll on the ground next to hers.</p>
<p>Merida rolls over to watch him.</p>
<p>“I do,” she answers. “But it’s the only thing we’ve been doing for months now and I’m <em>tired</em>! I wish we could just find somewhere to go where no one would recognize us.”</p>
<p>A smile tugs at the corners of Hiccup’s lips. “Well, there’s always Greenland.”</p>
<p>Merida rolls over again, this time burying her face in her pillow. Hiccup can just make out a dragged out “nooooo” coming from her.</p>
<p>“Why? It’s perfect! No one would find us there!”</p>
<p>He laughs when she peeks up from her pillow to glare at him.</p>
<p>“That’s because no one lives there.”</p>
<p>“Some people live there.”</p>
<p>“Fine, no <em>sane</em> person lives there.”</p>
<p>“See! Perfect for us!”</p>
<p>He doesn’t even try to stop the pillow before it thwacks him in the face. He just laughs and throws it right back at her. She throws it at him again.  </p>
<p>Soon they’re in an all-out war, laughing and throwing their pillows at each other. Merida somehow recruits Toothless to her side, and Hiccup doesn’t stand a chance. With the help of Toothless, Merida manages to pin Hiccup down and ends up tickling him until he admits the defeat.</p>
<p>In the end, they both fall back on their bedrolls, curling up together while some residual giggles still escape their mouths. Hiccup buries his face in Merida’s hair, and gives the crown of her head a quick kiss.</p>
<p>“So… not Greenland?” he asks and Merida huffs out the last of her laughter.</p>
<p>“Not Greenland.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. new zealand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 3: locations</p><p>hiccup has acquired a map.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This- is so much bigger than my map,” Hiccups says in wonder and Merida hums in agreement.</p><p>They’re in the midst of unfolding a map of the entire world, which Hiccup had managed to snatch in the last town they visited. It’s huge.</p><p>Well, the map itself isn’t huge, it’s a perfectly normal size. But the world is huge. Berk and the other surrounding islands he’s mapped himself are barely a speck on it.</p><p>“So, which are the places we’ve been to?” Merida asks, distracting him from suddenly feeling very small.</p><p>“Uh, well, DunBroch is here,” he taps the map where it’s located. “We’ve been all over this landmass; Scotland, England and Wales,” he motions with his hand over it before pointing to another island. “And this here is Iceland. We’ve been to a lot of places around northern Europe too,” he moves his hand back to show of what his talking about.</p><p>Merida touches the map where’s he’s pointing, almost carefully. “It feels like we’ve travelled so far,” she says. “But when you look at this, we’ve barely left home.”</p><p>Hiccup looks at the map. He knows what she means. He’s been excited to see so many places and explore the bigger world, and now he realizes the world is even bigger than he could have imagined. He’s filled with a yearning to see it all, and at the same time it makes him feel more homesick than ever.</p><p>He longs for the familiarity of home. Of knowing what’s around every corner, and what people he can find there. In a world as big as this, the only place he will ever truly find that is Berk. And yet he’s excited at the possibility of seeing so much more.</p><p>He’s conflicted.</p><p>“I guess this is the furthest away from here you can possibly get,” Merida says, pointing to a strip of land at the bottom right corner of the map. “<em>Aotearoa</em>,” she reads aloud. “Maybe we should go there, I doubt anyone would know who we are all the way down there.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t say that, not with our luck,” Hiccup smiles and leans in next to her to inspect the island further. “I bet there would be at least one other person who also happened to travel there, and would recognize us the moment we set foot.”</p><p>Merida looks at him and raises an eyebrow. “Is the negativity supposed to be charming?”</p><p>Hiccup grins. “It’s not supposed to be, but I’m pretty sure you think it is anyway.”</p><p>Merida shoves him lightly, but smiles back.</p><p>Then she stands abruptly. “No matter,” she says and stretches. “I wouldn’t be able to stand a long trip like that anyway.”</p><p>Hiccup watches her walk back to the fire, where they’ve left some fish to roast for dinner, before turning back to the map. He has to agree with her. No matter how much he yearns to see the world, he would never be able to go that far.</p><p>After all, home is where the heart is. And his heart is right here.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I decided to use the māori name for new zealand in this, felt more appropriate.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. “people are talking about us.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 4: misc sentences</p>
<p>doing some renovating.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Merida is carving patterns into the doorframe when Hiccup and Toothless return, carrying more building supplies than they probably should.</p>
<p>“People are talking about us,” Hiccup says as he dumps everything in a pile on the ground.</p>
<p>He slumps over Toothless, panting heavily. He had definitely been carrying more than he should.</p>
<p>“Are you surprised?” Merida asks, and hands him their waterskin. “Two strangers from who-knows-where move into the abandoned cottage in the forest. I would talk about us too.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah. You’re right. I guess I’m still a little on edge.”</p>
<p>“I know. But we’re safe here, Hiccup. Finally.”</p>
<p>They share a smile, before Merida goes back to her carvings and Hiccup starts sorting through the supplies.</p>
<p>The cottage needs some fixing up before it’ll be really functional, and they don’t want to waste any time. They only officially moved in a little over a week ago, and they’ve spent that entire week working on it.</p>
<p>It feels better than Merida could have imagined to have a stable home again. They’ve finally found a place for them. Far enough away, and isolated enough, that no one has even heard of Berk or DunBroch. And yet it’s still close enough that returning one day isn’t impossible.</p>
<p>“What are they saying about us?” Merida ask after several minutes of silent working.</p>
<p>Hiccup stills his movements, and smirks at her. “Most of the comments I heard was about how we look. Apparently, we’re very attractive.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Merida smirks back. “Both of us?”</p>
<p>“Okay, I can’t tell if that’s meant to bring yourself or me down so I’m just not going to answer.”</p>
<p>Merida giggles. “Might be fer the best.”</p>
<p>They continue working on the cottage for several hours, only stopping when the sun has fully set. After putting everything away and having some food, they lie down to sleep. It’s when they’re lying in silence, almost asleep, that Merida asks her next question.</p>
<p>“For how long do ye think they’ll be talking about us?”</p>
<p>“How long does it take for something to not be new anymore?” is Hiccup’s reply.</p>
<p>Merida hums, and they go back to silence. That’s a very good question.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. “I just want summer already.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 4: misc sentences</p>
<p>hiccup talks about berk.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I just want summer already,” Merida mutters.</p>
<p>She’s curled up in their bed under a thick fur-blanket. If it was Hiccup, he would be sweating buckets under there, but Merida is a lot more sensitive to cold than he is. The reason is pretty obvious.</p>
<p>“This? This is nothing,” he says with a wide grin. “You should see the winters on Berk. They’re brutal!”</p>
<p>“Sounds awfy.”</p>
<p>Hiccup laughs and lies down in the bed, wrapping his arms around her. She wraps herself completely around him in return, seemingly trying to take advantage of as much of his body heat as possible.</p>
<p>“It is. Completely horrible,” Hiccup says, continuing to describe Berk. “It’s cold, and dark and it lasts forever. Everyone’s always complaining about it. Every conversation for half the year is just about how much they hate the weather,” he takes a second to think and adds. “No, actually, people complain all year. The summers always too hot and the winters too cold. I think Berkians just have something against weather.”</p>
<p>Merida snorts into his chest, but otherwise stays quiet, giving Hiccup a chance to keep rambling.</p>
<p>“It’s not always bad though. Our sunsets during summer are beautiful, you know, when the sun actually sets,” he decides not to go further into the whole midnight sun thing, he knows how insane it can sound to people who haven’t experienced it. “And waking up to a thick layer of snow is always just amazing. There’s nothing like smelling the crisp air and drinking some of Astrid’s yaknog. You’ll have to try it sometime! I know that it’s not great at first, but you get used to it! Oh, and Snoggletog! The best time of year! It’s when all dragon eggs hatch and Berk gets overrun by all these adorable little dragons and…”</p>
<p>He trails of. He hasn’t been thinking about Snoggletog at all this year, but now he realizes that it’s just a few days away. And he won’t get to celebrate it. For the first time in his life he won’t spend the holiday with his dad and his tribe. There will be none of Astrid’s yaknog, no baby dragons.</p>
<p>The guilt and homesickness he thought he’d buried when they moved into their cottage comes back like a punch in the stomach.</p>
<p>He left his home. He left his <em>Dad</em>.</p>
<p>“Hiccup?”</p>
<p>Merida is looking up at him, her eyes glistening with tears. She understands, knows exactly how it feels.</p>
<p>“Tell me about Snoggletog. Maybe we could celebrate together? Just us?”</p>
<p>A familiar warmth explodes in his chest. He loves her so much.</p>
<p>He holds her closer, and tells her everything.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>can you tell how much of hiccup describing berk is based of personal experience? <br/>I don't know how it is in the other nordic countries, but I'm pretty sure you don't count as swedish unless you constantly complain about the weather. it's either too hot, too cold, too windy, too cloudy, too sunny, too rainy, too snowy etc. we're never satisfied. <br/>as for the midnight sun.. it's real? not made up? my friend in the philippines thought it was a joke but,,, it's not? i don't live far enough north to have experienced it but.. it's real. polar nights are real too. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>anyway thanks for reading.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. “I thought you, of all people, would understand.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 4: misc sentences</p>
<p>takes place right after chapter 11.<br/>hiccup couldn't be responsible.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Hiccup suddenly pulls away from the kiss, Merida is confused. His eyes are wide, almost manic. She’s worried.</p>
<p>“Let’s do it!”</p>
<p>“What?” she says, because what else can she do when she has no idea what he’s talking about.</p>
<p>“Let’s stay out here!” he grasps her shoulders, and she grows more and more concerned. “Merida, we don’t have to be a part of this war. We can choose not to.”</p>
<p>“Wha’ do you mean?”</p>
<p>She doesn’t like where he’s going with this.</p>
<p>“We don’t have to go back! We can stay out here, or leave. Go wherever we want. We could do anything.”</p>
<p>Every part of her body tightens, stiffens, and the bliss she felt from being with him just a minute ago evaporates. She shakes herself out of his grip and backs away.</p>
<p>“How can you say that?” her voice is shaky.</p>
<p>He tilts his head and narrows his eyes, as if he’s confused by her reaction. She doesn’t see how he could have expected anything else.</p>
<p>“You were the one who said it,” he says and she immediately shakes her head.</p>
<p>“That was a <em>joke</em>!” she doesn’t mean to shout, but maybe it’s what’s needed. “I didn’t mean it!” she’s ready to continue on about what something being a joke means, but he beats her.</p>
<p>“I do,” he says. “Why should be stick around for all of this?”</p>
<p>Anger boils in the pit of her stomach.</p>
<p>“Because it’s our responsibility!” she shouts, hoping that goes into that thick skull of his. “Our peoples rely on us! We have to find a way to end this war without further bloodshed. That was our plan.”</p>
<p>“Well, the plan isn’t working,” Hiccup snaps back. “Maybe what we need is some distance from it all.”</p>
<p>If the anger was boiling before, it’s almost exploding now. Leaving everything and everyone behind when they’re most needed? How could he suggest that?</p>
<p>“We could leave for a while, just get some perspective,” he continues, his voice suddenly much softer. Merida shakes her head. No, they can’t. “We could actually be together. Just us, all the time. Without having to leave after a few hours. Without the sneaking around, and all the lying to everyone. Don’t you want that?”</p>
<p>And with those words, the anger disappears as quickly as it came. She looks away, effectively hiding her face behind her hair. She can’t let him see her, and know how tempting it sounds. Because yes, all she wants is to be with him freely. If they left, they could be, and it would be wonderful.</p>
<p>But has to think of DunBroch, and her family.</p>
<p>She imagines the looks on her parents faces when they realize she’s not coming home, and her brothers cries for her to come back are already clear in her mind.</p>
<p>She takes a shaky breath. “I want to be with you, you know that,” while talking, she raises her head again and looks him in the eyes. “But even if you’re willing to leave your family and friends behind without a word, leaving them to wonder what happened to you - if your dead or kidnapped or something worse - I’m not.”</p>
<p>Hiccup’s eyes narrow. “That’s not what I-“</p>
<p>Merida doesn’t let him finish. “And I’m not willing to leave my people when they need me the most,” she backs away further as she speaks. “If I’m not here, doing the most I can to stop all of this, then every single death is on me,” she’s finally close enough to get on Angus’ back.  </p>
<p>“Wait, Merida-“</p>
<p>“It’s my responsibility, as Princess and heir to my clan,” she continues, ignoring him to the best of her abilities. “I <em>have</em> to stay with them. I thought you, of all people, would understand that.”</p>
<p>“I do! I didn’t mean- I just- Can we just talk about this? This isn’t how I-“</p>
<p>He keeps rambling, begging her to stay and listen. She can’t. Because she knows that if she does, running away with him will just sound better and better, and he will convince her.</p>
<p>So instead, without another word, she runs <em>from</em> him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. “sometimes i just wonder why things turned out this way.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 4: misc sentences</p>
<p>caves are actually stressful</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>a little late but here it is!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The rain is pouring down, with no sign of stopping anytime soon. They’re stuck in a small cave, and Merida can’t help but be reminded of the first night they spent together. It feels like a lifetime ago.</p>
<p>She remembers how happy she was to just have a little more time with than usual. Now they haven’t been apart for months. Had it been any other person she would have gotten sick of them after a day, but Hiccup is like no other and she doesn’t think she can ever grow tired of being around him.</p>
<p>Though he is pushing it when he paces around like this.</p>
<p>Merida is leaning against Toothless, trying to enjoy the warmth and calm. She has tried to get Hiccup to sit down too, but he must have a lot of nervous energy built up because he hasn’t been still since they entered the cave over an hour ago. He just keeps pacing and rambling.</p>
<p>“I’m still missing things for the new saddle, and we’re gonna need it if we’re flying longer distances. And food. We’ve almost run out. But there are no villages nearby and even if there were they would recognize immediately just like always and-“ he stops talking suddenly with deep sigh.</p>
<p>Maybe complete silence is worse than the rambling.</p>
<p>“Hiccup?”</p>
<p>He runs his hand over his face, looking absolutely exhausted. “It’s just… Sometimes I just wonder why things turned out this way.”</p>
<p>He sounds almost broken when he says it, and Merida has to look away. It’s a topic that’s hard for both of them to talk about. Every time they do, Merida is overrun by intense guilt, and she knows it’s the same for him.</p>
<p>“You know why.”</p>
<p>Because it was too hard. Because they risked being found out every time they saw each other. Because he got captured and she had to help him. Because being together was worth it. It had to be.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” she hears him say, even though it’s just a quiet mumble. “I do.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. “there’s something you’re not telling me.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 4: misc sentences</p>
<p>birthday!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s a truly beautiful day. They’re surrounded by birdsong, the sun is shining bright and the warmth of summer is at its height. It’s actually a little too warm for Hiccup’s taste, but Merida loves it and that’s what’s important. It is, after all, her birthday.</p>
<p>They’re having a picnic in the forest outside their home. It’s how she used to celebrate with her family and she had said she wanted to keep that tradition alive. So, Hiccup had found a nice spot and ordered all of her favorites from the bakery in the village.</p>
<p>She seems to be enjoying it, though she keeps glancing at him every so often. It’s almost as if she’s suspicious. He pretty sure he knows why.</p>
<p>A few minutes pass until she finally says something.</p>
<p>“There’s something you’re not telling me.”</p>
<p>While it is slightly annoying that she sees right through him, he also can’t help but smile. Of course she wouldn’t just wait.</p>
<p>“You’re so impatient,” he says and stands up.</p>
<p>As he walks over to Toothless, he can feel her watching him. That suspicious look has probably just grown even more intense. He doesn’t get to see it though, because when he turns back to face her, it turns to an expression of surprise and joy.</p>
<p>“I made you a gift,” as he says it, Hiccup places said gift in her hands, and her smile grows.</p>
<p>“Ye made me a bow!”</p>
<p>Hiccup grins. “Yeah. I figured you could use it, since you haven’t found one you like since we left DunBroch,” he says, and then quickly adds: “I hope you like this one.”</p>
<p>She softly touches the different parts of the bow, looking extra closely at the patterns of bears and dragons he’d carved into it. When she finally looks back up at him, her eyes are glistening and her smile is blinding.</p>
<p>“I love it,” she says it with that soft tone that he loves so much, and he leans into kiss her.</p>
<p>It’s short and gentle, and perfect.</p>
<p>“I want a sword next.”</p>
<p>He laughs, and even if it was a joke, he vows to make her that sword.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. “I was hoping for a little sympathy, maybe.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 4: misc sentences</p>
<p>accidents happen.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Merida likes watching Hiccup work in the forge. And it isn’t just because he looks good while doing it, though that certainly is a plus. It’s because of the peacefulness that washes over her when she watches him do something he’s so familiar with. He exudes an easy confidence that is rarely present otherwise. He knows exactly what he’s doing in this environment, and it shows.</p>
<p>It doesn’t stop him from making mistakes from time to time though.</p>
<p>Toothless and Merida jerk in unison when a loud clang followed by a yelp and murmured curse words are heard from the forge.</p>
<p>“What happened?” Merida is already on her feet, ready to come to the rescue if needed.</p>
<p>It’s quickly evident that it isn’t, mostly because of the almost childish pout on Hiccup’s face.</p>
<p>“I uh… I dropped the hammer on my hand,” he says, holding up said hand.</p>
<p>There’s barely even a mark on it, and behind her Merida can her Toothless gurgle in laughter. She let’s out a few giggles of her own, mostly because of that pout.</p>
<p>“I- I was hoping for a little sympathy here, maybe.”</p>
<p>She laughs even harder when his pout grows even more childish and he crosses his arms, only composing herself to tease him.</p>
<p>“Aw, wee babe. Do I need to kiss it better?”</p>
<p>He raises an eyebrow, and holds his hand out. “Yeah, actually. I think you do.”</p>
<p>With a roll of her eyes, she takes his hand and gives it a quick peck. “There ya go. All good.”</p>
<p>Before she has time to let go of his hand again, he grasps hers and pulls her close.</p>
<p>“You know, I think hurt my lips too.”</p>
<p>Merida almost snorts. “Did ye now?”</p>
<p>“I did,” he smirks. “Think you can help me?”</p>
<p>With another roll of her eyes, she brings his face down and kisses his lips better.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. “this job is going to kill me.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 4: misc sentences</p>
<p>work is hard.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The strangest thing about not living as a princess is not the freedom, it’s not living in a cramped cottage, or even the lack of servants. It’s the fact that things are no longer just given to her. It was a culture shock for Merida to find out that she has to pay for things, and that she no longer has the riches of Dunbroch to fall back on.</p>
<p>While on the run, she and Hiccup had done a few small jobs in different villages to try and earn some money. They never got much out of it, but they made due. Now however, they have a more permanent home in their cottage and with that comes the need for a more permanent income.</p>
<p>Hiccup has the easy job. One of the first things he did when they moved in was build a forge behind the house, and now he’s made quite the reputation as a blacksmith. People pay him to do something he enjoys. Merida envies him.</p>
<p>She’s stuck working as a waitress at the tavern. At first she’d tried to make it as a hunter, but it wasn’t something the village needed, seeing as it was already overflowing with hunters. Nothing else seemed appealing, so she took the first job she could get. She hates it. Sometimes.</p>
<p>A lot of the time she actually quite enjoys it. She gets to be social, and loud, and the patrons loves listening to her jokes and stories. She’s made a few friends while working there, which she finds amazing since she didn’t have many of those back home.</p>
<p>A lot of the time it’s good, but with good there’s always some bad.</p>
<p>The patrons can be rude and condescending. She urges to tell them she’s a princess, but manages to keep her mouth shut. The worst parts are the late nights, when the smell of ale and sound of drunk men fill the tavern. They’re always so loud, aggressive, whiny and, worst of all, handsy.</p>
<p>As much as she complains about getting out of bed, she prefers working early mornings.</p>
<p>The only good part of working during the night, is going back home. The woods are so peaceful at night, and the quiet is comforting after coming from the loud tavern. Her legs may ache from being on her feet for hours, but at least she gets to crawl into bed and Hiccup’s warm embrace as soon as she gets home.</p>
<p>He welcomes her with a kiss on the forehead and a “How was your day?”</p>
<p>She answers with “This job is going to kill me.” And he holds her tighter. She melts in his embrace, once again reminded why she chose this life.</p>
<p>She closes her eyes and gets ready to sleep. She’s got to get up early in the morning.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. a visitor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 5: free</p>
<p>someone comes by the cottage.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They’ve lived in their cottage for almost a full year before their past catches up to them.</p>
<p>It’s a sunny afternoon in early spring, and they’re just returning home from a full day of flying and adventuring. There are mountains nearby, with places impossible to reach unless you have wings. The villagers are quite superstitious when it comes to these mountains and have told them countless legends since they first moved here. Hiccup and Merida decided they had to have closer look themselves.</p>
<p>They didn’t find anything all that legendary or mythical, but they had a fun day and that’s good enough. When they land back home at the cottage, they’re both still laughing and smiling, but ready to relax. That is, until Hiccup notices something wrong.  </p>
<p>He stops Merida from taking a step further, and looks around the area with a frown.</p>
<p>“Do you hear that?” he asks.</p>
<p>It sounds like steps coming from inside the cottage, but that’s not what he’s focusing on. There’s another sound of something sharp hitting the ground, over and over again. It sounds familiar…</p>
<p>Hiccup barely has time to finish the thought before a large creature jumps out from the other side of the cottage with a squawk.</p>
<p>It feels as if his jaw drops to the ground.</p>
<p>“Stormfly!?”</p>
<p>“Hiccup, why is there another dragon here?”</p>
<p>Merida sounds guarded, but Hiccup barely notices. He watches Toothless excitedly run to greet Stormfly, and realizes that her being here can only mean one thing.</p>
<p>“Hiccup!”</p>
<p>He turns to see Astrid herself, in all her glory, stand in the doorway to their cottage. <em>‘So that’s why I heard steps from inside’ </em>he absentmindedly thinks, as he raises his hand in a dazed wave and says: “Hi Astrid.”</p>
<p>She scoffs, and Hiccup thinks he hears Merida mutter something, but he’s in too much shock to really register anything at the moment.</p>
<p>“<em>Hi Astrid</em>? That’s all you can say?”</p>
<p>That sort of shakes him out of his dazed state. Astrid doesn’t actually seem angry, but there’s a lot of guilt coming to the surface anyway. He doesn’t really know how to start with all that so he just smiles sheepishly.</p>
<p>“It’s good to see you?”</p>
<p>Her face softens a little, and then she’s walking forward and hugging him tightly.</p>
<p>“It’s good to see you too, Hiccup,” she says, before letting go of him and turning towards Merida. “And it’s nice to meet you, your Highness.”</p>
<p>Astrid holds out a hand. Merida stares at it. She’s suspicious. Of course she is, they don’t know why Astrid is here, but Hiccup is seeing his best friend again for the first time in over a year and can’t quite bring himself to be suspicious.</p>
<p>After a few painstakingly long seconds, Merida finally shakes Astrid’s hand.</p>
<p>“Nice to meet you too. I’ve heard a lot about you,” she says slowly. “Now if ye don’t mind, what are you doing here?”</p>
<p>Astrid frowns. “Yes, that. Maybe we should sit down. We have a lot to talk about.”</p>
<p>They take a seat around the dining table inside. Astrid compliments their home, while Merida keeps eyeing her warily. There’s a sudden nervousness washing over Hiccup when he realizes how much he wants the two of them to get along. He always assumed they would, seeing as they are so similar. But maybe he was wrong. Or maybe it’s just temporary, because Astrid literally broke into their home and seems like she’s about to deliver big news.</p>
<p>“What’s going on, Astrid? Why are you here? How… how did you even find us?”</p>
<p>Astrid raises an eyebrow. “I have a tracking dragon, Hiccup.”</p>
<p>She doesn’t need to say more for him to feel very stupid. That was a very obvious answer.</p>
<p>“Not that it made you easy to find. I’ve been looking for you since you first left and it took me until now to actually find you,” she pauses, and then looks him straight in the eyes. “You could have told me, you know that right?”</p>
<p>The guilt becomes even more tangible. Of course he knows he could have talked to Astrid. He knows she would always be on his side, and he’s not really sure why he never told her. Maybe he wanted to keep what he had with Merida just between them, or he was afraid of someone else hearing and telling his father. Neither seem like good enough reasons now.</p>
<p>He tries to respond and apologize, but it only comes out as stammers and mumbles. It’s not until Merida grips his hand that he feels grounded again, and stops.</p>
<p>“So, we know how you found us,” Merida says while squeezing his hand. “Why are you here?”</p>
<p>Astrid looks like there’s a lot more she wants to say to him, but seems to recognize that now isn’t the best time and moves on to answer Merida instead.</p>
<p>“Berk and Dunbroch issued a truce between all Viking tribes and Scottish clans,” she says.</p>
<p>Hiccup feels Merida’s hand go slack in his, and he understands. He’s so shocked it feels like he’s been punched.</p>
<p>“Wh-wha… how?” is all he manages to say.</p>
<p>“The Queen of Dunbroch found the letters you sent each other. She and the King had a meeting with Stoick and agreed on a truce until you two are found.”</p>
<p>She takes a small break to let it sink in, before turning completely to Hiccup and continuing.</p>
<p>“You need to come home. Everyone was so devasted when you left, especially Stoick. He’s been blaming himself, thinks that he did something wrong. We’re all really worried about him. And we all miss you. It’s not the same without you, Hiccup. Even Snotlout admitted it! Please. Berk needs you.”</p>
<p>Hiccup can’t decide if she looks angry or as if she’s about to cry, and he doesn’t know which would be worse.</p>
<p>He’s happy when Merida starts talking before he has a chance to.</p>
<p>“Could there be peace?” she asks. “Do ye think they could agree to peace?”</p>
<p>“If it means you two coming back home, I think they would agree to anything.”</p>
<p>Hiccup takes a deep breath. “Astrid, could you give us a minute to talk?”</p>
<p>She seems hesitant, but nods and goes back outside to the dragons. Hiccup and Merida both turn to face each other.</p>
<p>In the end, it’s not much of a discussion. They always wanted to return home eventually, and this is the perfect opportunity. But they quickly agree that if peace can’t be reached, they’ll leave again. Now that they’ve spent all this time together, being apart would be impossible.</p>
<p>They take a few days to get their things ready and let everyone in the village know that they’ll be leaving. And then, less than a week after Astrid found them, they’re back on Toothless’ and on their way home.</p>
<p>Something tells Hiccup this is the start of something good.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>and this is obviously the longest chapter so far. let's see if the last chapter tomorrow can beat it or not.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. the end</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>week 5: free</p>
<p>or maybe it's the beginning?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hiccup drops Merida off in the woods outside of Dunbroch. They say a short goodbye, and she watches him as he and Toothless flies away, towards Berk. Once they have disappeared from view, she takes a deep breath, and goes home.</p>
<p>She barely takes a step inside the gates before her mother his hugging her, and they’re crying in each other’s arms. Her brothers come soon after, she hates how much they’ve grown while she’s been gone. Last to join the hug is her father, he’s sobbing even more than Elinor.</p>
<p>She ends up getting quite the lecture, but that is expected, and it’s softened by the fact that her brothers haven’t let go of her since she returned. In the evening she goes to visit Angus in the stable. It feels good to be home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Hiccup lands on Berk he’s immediately tackled by Snotlout, who apparently missed him even more than Astrid let on. It’s a little unnerving, but appreciated. The rest of the riders come next, all hugging him with excitement he’s rarely seen them have. They all start telling stories and joking, and it’s almost as if he never left at all.</p>
<p>That is, until Stoick shows up.</p>
<p>Hiccup fears the worst, and starts apologizing as soon as he sees his father. But he is caught of guard when Stoick’s eyes well up, and he’s pulled into one of the fiercest hugs he’s ever gotten. All his worries are washed away when Stoick tells him that he would had done the same thing for Hiccup’s mother.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, practically all of Berk is huddled inside the great hall listening to Hiccup as he tells them about his adventures out in the world. He can’t stop smiling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Two weeks later a meeting is held between all the clan leaders and Viking chiefs, discussing peace. It’s the first time Merida and Hiccup see each other since he dropped them off, and as soon as he lands with Toothless she is by his side. Together they advocate for peace, giving arguments for how it’s achievable and being living proof that it’s possible.</p>
<p>In the end, everyone agrees. But on the condition that the Princess and Chief-to-be continue to be the example, and get married. Hiccup and Merida are both happy to say yes.</p>
<p>Two ceremonies are held; one in Dunbroch and one on Berk. They are as officially married as they can get. A lot of time is spent debating which of their weddings was better. Merida keeps saying it was the one on Berk, only because she got a dragon of her own as a wedding gift from her new husband.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s only shortly after they’re married that they discover the trappers, and Drago. It’s a difficult ordeal, but at least they’ve got each other. Merida follows Hiccup when he leaves to find Drago. She stays by his side when he finds his mother, and when he loses his father. She watches with pride as he’s officially made Chief.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They figure out how to lead Berk together. It’s not easy, but they’ve got a lot of help. Valka is always there to support them, and Astrid and the rest of the riders are a big help too. Even Eret becomes a valued part of their council once he’s gotten used to the Berk way of living. It’s good to have them all, especially when they take trips to Dunbroch. They can always be sure that Berk is in good hands.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Merida finds a good friend in Astrid at this time. Once everything has calmed down, and they are working closely together in overseeing Berk. She has to admit that the first time they met she wasn’t convinced she would ever like this girl, but as soon as they got a chance to spend time together, they were best friends within a matter of hours. Hiccup is ecstatic at first, but then they start snarking off at him together, and he realizes his mistake. Still, seeing his wife and best friend getting along always manages to make him smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As good as things are though, there are still threats on the horizon. They spend a lot of time rescuing dragons from trappers, and Berk ends up being widely overpopulated. But it takes Gobber actually pointing it out for them to find a solution. And the one they find should have been obvious from the start.</p>
<p>Dragons start being moved to Dunbroch. Fergus could not be happier, neither could the triplets. More and more Scots adopt dragons, especially the warriors, and once they found out about Grimmel and the other warlords, they don’t stand a chance.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Time passes. Elinor and Fergus decide to retire early, they say it’s time for new ideas and traditions to take the throne. Merida and Hiccup are crowned Queen and King, and take their new positions with grace. They’re suddenly in charge of a much larger area than before, but they’re never in over their heads. With Hamish, Hubert and Harris and the young lords in Scotland, and the council led by Astrid on Berk, there’s always someone competent around to handle things even when they’re not there.</p>
<p>It’s a good thing too, Merida decides as she watches Hiccup cooing at their newborn baby. They’re going to need a lot of help, now more than ever.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>aaaaaaaaand that was the last chapter!! </p>
<p>thank you so much to everyone who's been reading this! I'm very proud of this fic for multiple reasons, but a big one is that it's the first multichapter I've ever finsihed, so this is pretty big for me!</p>
<p>I have a rotbtd blog on tumblr if you want to follow me there @mericcuplooks. it's not just a mericcup blog I swear! even though it's been a lot of that this month and will likely continue to have a lot of it because I love these two and I love them together. </p>
<p>once again, thank you for reading!!!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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